Dynamics of a Storm
by eternalotaku
Summary: “A storm is a very dynamic thing, Ichigo…” Rukia had told him earlier that evening, now he lay in bed, pondering those words. Made for the 2007 Ichiruki fanworks contest in the ichiruki community on LJ.


"A storm is a very dynamic thing, Ichigo…" Rukia had told him one evening, while they were trying to put together their essays on current weather patterns for school, due the following day.

Now he lay in bed, pondering those words, as the one who had spoken them slept soundly in his closet, lulled to sleep, he assumed, by the rhythmic pattern of the rain beating against his bedroom window.

During a majority of his life, the only emotion brought on by the rain was the inevitable sadness due to it's reminding him of the day his mother died. He had become accustom to it… dulled, even. That was all before he met her, before she took his life and flipped upside-down.

There were times now, when he would think of things, times he and Rukia had been caught in the rain that really weren't so bad.

"_See you, Kurosaki-kun!"_

"_Yeah, See ya, Kuchiki." _

_Ichigo looked up apprehensively at the rolling clouds as he left the school and started home. It looked like it could start a downpour at any moment. He sighed._

"_That idiot forgot her umbrella today, too. Figures." He had seen the extra umbrella he had told Rukia to take still laying on the floor in his room when he left for school._

_He was about half way home, when it really started coming down. He quickly grabbed his-own umbrella, which he had haphazardly shoved into his bag this morning. With the angle of the wind, it didn't do much good, but at least it was something. Luckily, he was just about to a convenience store by his place, with a rather large over-hang on it. That would do._

_Ichigo shook his head, ridding his fiery hair of what water he could, the droplets spraying out around him, as he looked out into the street, blurred, and barely visible though the wall of water falling around him._

"_I wonder if she…" Suddenly, he thought he saw the outline of a familiar figure coming towards him. _

"_It's really coming down…" Rukia Kuchiki stepped warily out of the rain, her arms wrapped around her small frame to hold in warmth. _

_The boy looked at her skeptically, and snorted. "So I see."_

_Rukia walked over to the outer-wall of the store, and joined Ichigo in leaning against it, rough, but solid against her back._

_From the corner of his eye, he could see how her soaked clothes clung to her skin, water running in little streams from her hair down her throat, and how it would drip from her fingers, to join the little puddle forming at her feet. Realizing that he was staring, he looked away quickly, and sighed._

_Well that's just great… The last thing I need is for you and that gigai to be sick the next time a hollow shows up." He glared at her, scowling._

_She turned on him full force, coming to stand in front of him, as her hand balled into fists, and her temper rising with her voice._

"_Idiot! Do you really think that I'd be so irresponsible as to-" _

"_Shut up already!"_

_Swiftly, His arms enfolded her shoulders, pulling her forward against his chest. Shock held her paralyzed for a moment, but only a brief one, and as quickly as she had paused, she regained herself._

_She brought her hands to his chest and shoved, pushing back against his muscular frame to glare at him properly._

"_Ichigo, what the h-" The words died on her lips, as she watched him stare determinedly over head, a bright shade of red streaking across his cheeks. Mercifully, she decided to stay silent, and let herself lean against him once again. He was, after all, rather warm, and although she would never admit it, his presence, especially at his close proximity, was somehow comforting. His heart was beating quickly under her palm; setting a pace that she could feel her own matching._

_They stood like that for a time, hearing nothing but the pounding of the rain, focused entirely on each other… _

"_Looks like it's stopping." Ichigo released her with a slowness that almost hinted at hesitancy, and went to rummage in his bag. After a moment, he pulled out a dry gym towel, and tossed it to her, still not meeting her eye._

"_Good thing they canceled it today." She heard him mutter under his breath, as he started ahead of her back onto the street. "Come on, let's go."_

_She trailed behind for a few steps before speaking. "Hey, Ichigo… Thanks."_

_He turned his head, glancing back at her, a half smile formed on his lips. "Yeah."_

_There was a peaceful silence for a moment, before…_

"_Why were you held up at school, anyway?" _

"_Oh that…" Her brows furrowed, as she paused to remember the details. "Orihime and I were discussing the most interesting article she found in a magazine, I had no idea that your world's superstitions about the loch ness monster all started out with a candy bar and a piece of… what was it… Popcorn." She grinned, proud of being able to remember all of this newly acquired information._

_Ichigo's step faltered. "You're really buying in to all that junk?"_

"_Ah, but it might not be junk, you see, in my studies yesterday, I found-"_

"_Those supernatural magazines aren't studying!"_

" _Of course they are, you see-"_

" _No, you see! Just because-"_

" _Don't be thick-headed, in other cultures-"_

"_I'm not thick-headed, idiot!"_

"_Yes, you are, if you refuse to grasp this concept!"_

_They glared at each other, bickering the whole way home._

A small smile crept unbidden onto his face at the memory, replacing his usual scowl. Realizing this, he scratched his head briefly, and shifted his weight, turning to face the closet.

His times in the rain with Rukia weren't always happy, however… Instantly, his mind replayed the feeling of cold closing over him, and the smell and sight of his own blood, pouring out of him to mingle with the icy, newly fallen water, as he lay dying after her brother and his Vice-captain had come to drag her back to Soul Society, after all that, he remembered, it was the sight of her tears, the thought of her being taken away from him against her will, and the thought of what she might have to face while he lay there useless, that truly chilled him to the bone.

He was brought back to reality by lightning striking somewhere nearby, the brightness painful behind his eye-lids, he cringed, willing himself to focus only on the sound of the storm, which had now taken a turn for the worst, wind and rain beating harshly against his window, thunder rolling closely over-head, cracking deafeningly in his ear-drums. A tempest, perfectly in synch with his raging thoughts.

Even so, more often than not, it was the times after that, when she was no longer there with him that the pain he remembered so well, from the rainy days before they had met, really came back to him.

"_That's enough for today, Kurosaki, you're improving… You can go home." Urahara Kisuke dusted off his beloved hat, before placing it back on his head, and heading for the door. He waved before heading out the door, revealing the storm beyond. _

_Pain shot through every muscle in his body, but he barely felt it, as he pulled himself up from his crouched position to address his teacher._

"_Wait! I can still-" The words came to late, Sandal-hat was already gone. _

_He wiped away the blood that was slowly trickling down his forehead, obscuring his vision, as he staggered towards the door. This injury was nothing… The same went for the various cut and bruises he had sustained during today's training… The rain stung, as he took a small, hesitant step out of the building. After a while, He could no longer feel the rain beating icy daggers against the wounds had received, while training. His skin was numb, and even though he could feel himself shivering, he took no action to speed up his slow pace, as he headed home._

"_Ichigo…" His head rose, as he heard the calling of his name, but there was no one in sight._

"_Ichigo." _

_This time, he recognized the voice, and look inwards to address it. "Zangetsu."_

_In his mind, he opened his eyes, and looked around the strange part of his psyche that constituted Zangetsu's home. Even in his mind, he was still drenched, so it took a moment for him to see that it was raining here, as well. It must have been raining for a while, because as he looked down, the streets in this inner city were flooded, and he could see the beginnings of decay, and wear, on some of the closer, smaller buildings. Small stray drops fell lazily from Zangetsu's hair, which was clinging to his face, and curling slightly around his shoulders. He looked skyward, and raised one hand, palm facing upward. He examined the drops that landed on his hand momentarily, before returning his gaze to Ichigo. _

"_This," the spirit began, once again indicating the rain "seems to be happening more often, again."_

_The Shinigami looked away from the spirit of his sword, mildly ashamed of the state of Zangetsu's home, but also not wanting his feelings to be conveyed through his eyes._

"_Don't look away from me. You can't hide from yourself… You should know that by now, and I am, after all, a part of your soul."_

_Still the boy refused to look up, and heard Zangetsu sigh._

"_The darkness is eating at you again… Look around you, you can see its affects, even here." _

_Ichigo's gaze swept again, over the slowly decaying buildings. This time, he saw, it almost looked as if acid was beginning to eat away at the land. _

"_It's poison, Ichigo… The pain you're going through. I know you've often told yourself, late at night, that physical injury is nothing compared to this."_

_This time, the boy reluctantly nodded in response. That was true. That same feeling of hopeless despair that he had felt constantly after his mother's death… It had lessened slightly since the start of his odd relationship with Rukia, thanks to her constant presence, but now, with her taken from him, it was back full force. Only now, rather than constant flashbacks of his mother's death, memories of Rukia also haunted him. Rukia in the rain, soaked, with tears steaming down her face, as she told him not to follow her, and her final, regret filled glance, as the gate to Soul Society slid shut, separating them. In fact, the only time that the pain faded slightly was when he was training. When he was fighting for his life, and his entire being was focused on getting stronger, and on saving Rukia. It was at those times, that the pain became strength, and that feeling of unbearable helplessness only fueled his determination. _

"_Can you still fight?" Zangetsu's eyes were piercing, and his tone one of severe seriousness, as he asked this question, one with more than one meaning._

_Ichigo's eye's snapped up, meeting Zangetsu's intensity with his own. No words were needed for this answer._

_Zangetsu nodded. "Then you know what you have to do." _

_This time, Ichigo nodded, and closed his eyes. _

_When he opened them, he was back on the street, in the same spot. The rain had lessened, only sprinkling now. _

_New conviction warmed him, as he replayed Zangetsu's question in his head. He did know what needed to be done. He turned and ran. Not home, but back the direction he had come from, as fast as his frozen legs would take him._

_Urahara met him at the door, a knowing smirk on his face, and preceded Ichigo into their training area._

"_I thought as much. Let's continue, than."_

_Ichigo nodded, as the other man's cane came flying at him, knocking him into Shinigami form._

He had to make a conscience effort to relax his muscles, which had tensed up painfully at the memory. The rain outside his window was no longer deafening, but still pouring determinedly. He'd pushed himself to the limit… Both in training and in battle, and made himself immeasurably stronger since back then, all with the intent of saving that small girl who had changed his life. Yet, during it all, it'd never really crossed his mind that she might decide to stay there. So when she had told him of her decision, he was surprised, to say the least, and although he tried not to let it show, more than a little disappointed. He half expected the pain to return, to start tearing at him again, so soon after it had stopped again. Yet, it wasn't the same, not the same sort of desperate despair as before... She was safe now, and happy. He missed her, of course, leaving a hole in his heart that he had now learned, could only be filled by her being with him. Yet, for a time, it was bearable.

_The bell rang loudly in his ears, bringing him back to the world around him, and more specifically, his classroom, as it let out. He gathered up his books, packing everything neatly into his bag, and hoisting it over his shoulder, before exiting his classroom. _

"_Ichigoooo!" Screamed an air born Keigo, flying directly for him._

_Ichigo sighed, and side stepped, just in time to let Keigo get up close, and very personal, with the wall._

"_So mean!" Came the muffled reply from the classmate now sliding comically down the wall. "Ichigo seemed so much more relaxed lately, I though he would at least accept a hug from his oh so best buddy, who was just about to by gracious enough to invite him to the beach this weekend!" _

_Ichigo sighed, scratching his head. "No thanks, I've got plans."_

_He looked around; a few people were beginning to crowd around. The entire class was used to these antics by now, but some people still came to check out the Train wreck, that usually followed… Whatever it was that Keigo normally did._

"_I'll talk to you later." Ichigo said, as he made for the exit door._

_He had only made it to the end of the school ground, when she caught up with him._

"_Kurosaki-kun!"_

_Ichigo turned around, to see a girl running to catch up with him._

"_Ah, Inoue, what's up?"_

"_Not much… That is… I mean…" She stammered, and walked away from him to sit on the steps a few feet away. The same steps, he remembered, that they had sat on before; when he had decided that he absolutely had to rescue Rukia. He followed, and sat a few steps above her._

"_Keigo's right… about you being more relaxed, I mean, and so… That is." She fidgeted for a moment, before looking up at him, concern in her eyes. "Don't you mess Kuchiki-san?" _

_The question had caught him by surprise. He was sure the shock registered on his face, because Inoue was suddenly looking as if perhaps she shouldn't have said anything. _

"_I do, I just…" Of course she couldn't have known… She didn't have that same sort of understanding that he shared with Rukia. She couldn't know of the extreme relief he felt now, just knowing that Rukia was safe, and being where she chose to be. Couldn't have known that somehow, in that moment of parting, he knew he wasn't seeing the last of Rukia. How healed he felt, as he walked, of his own will, through the gate back to his own world, and not having to look back, knowing that she was smiling. _

"_Yeah." A small smile touched his lips. "I do, a little." It hurt, especially when he looked at her now vacant desk, or would walk into his room, and saw his now empty closet. When he would remember a random bit of senseless argument, or see Yuzu wearing the clothes that Rukia had once borrowed, it did, but even still…._

"_Don't worry, I'm fine." He told Orihime, as he adjusted the weight of his bag and stood. "Thanks."_

_He looked back and waved briefly to the girl now also preparing to head home once again. Rukia would be back. He was sure of it. Until then, he just had to keep on living, and keep on waiting. _

_He didn't see her confused, and maybe slightly even wistful expression, as he walked away._

It was shortly after that she had returned, looking at him with a familiar, determined expression, silently urging him to gather his strength. Mainly, in that moment, while she stood there on the windowsill, he was taken over, and at the same time simply amazed, by the sheer intensity of emotion he felt… Amazed by the relief that he didn't realize he could feel, just knowing that she was back, and that she was with him, and at how, already, he was beginning to feel as if she had never left, all in that spit second, as they stared at each-other. He almost had to smile. The first thing that happened after that was her kicking him in the face, and yelling at him as she would in the past. All at once, he felt everything was back to normal.

In the quiet around him, the only thing he could hear was the soft sprinkling of the rain, barely falling anymore, letting up. Stifling a yawn, Ichigo turned to glance at his clock. 4:10am he really should try to get some sleep. Just…One more thing. As quietly as possible, he pushed the covers off, and rose from his bed, minding the creaking floorboard by the foot of his bed. Utilizing the skills he had acquired in these last few months of training, he crept without a sound, down the stairs and onto the main floor, retrieving an extra umbrella from the closet by the front door. In the same manner, he re-entered his room, and gently placed it upright, to lean just outside the closet door. The rain was supposed to continue non-stop until late into the week.

"I won't let her forget this time." He thought as he pulled the covers back up to his chin.

He had no choice but to admit it to himself now, Rukia really was his umbrella, the one who always covered and protected him, and made the rain in his heart stop. With one last glance at the newly placed umbrella, he made a firm decision.

"I'll be her umbrella too, I'll be the one to make her rain stop." It was with this thought that he drifted off to sleep.


End file.
